Accommodations for Religious Beliefs, Practices, and Observances

Policy Statement:

The University of Tennessee Health Science Center acknowledges the diversity of its
students and respects the rights of students to observe their religious beliefs and
practices. UTHSC will endeavor to provide reasonable accommodations relating to religious
beliefs and practices in response to a formal written student request. However, accommodations
cannot be guaranteed in instances where such would create an undue burden on faculty,
a disproportionate negative effect on other students who are participating in the
scheduled educational activity, or jeopardize patient care.

Procedure:

Students beginning new programs or courses of study in a particular college will be
advised by that college as to college-, program- or course-specific procedures that
should be followed to obtain an accommodation for religious practices or observances.
Students are encouraged to be proactive in reviewing college-, program- and course-specific
assignments/activities in advance of matriculation/registration to determine whether
these requirements might in some way conflict with their religious beliefs, practices
or observances. Should such conflicts be in evidence, students should discuss possible
options with the appropriate college official or faculty member. Reasonable accommodations
may not be feasible in instances where there is a direct and insurmountable conflict
between religious beliefs or observances and requirements of a given program.

It is the students responsibility to make arrangements with the course instructor
or clerkship/experiential director as soon as possible, but no less than 30 days in
advance of the religious holiday during which the student is requesting to be absent.
It is also the students responsibility to meet all course obligations. Such requests
are required for any and all educational activities scheduled for the date(s) in question,
e.g. classroom exercises, laboratory assignments, exams, clinical/experiential assignments,
etc. Finally, students are obligated to abide by the policies and procedures on religious
practices and observances of any given patient-care institution (i.e., hospital, clinical
setting) in which they are completing a portion of their educational experience.
If a potential conflict between a students religious beliefs, practices or observations
and institutional policy is identified, the student is to bring such to the attention
of the clerkship/experiential director as soon as possible.

It is the course instructor or clerkship/experiential directors responsibility to
negotiate with a student the parameters of reasonable accommodations. The accommodations
should be no more difficult than the originally scheduled activity or assignment.
Instructors or experiential directors are not obligated to provide materials or experiences
to students that would not normally be provided to all other students. In the event
a student and instructor or clerkship/experiential director cannot reach an agreement
regarding reasonable accommodations, the student may request a review of the request
by a designated college official. The decision of the designated college official
will be final.